Women of Promise

  A combination of  various events recently have led me back to look at the issue of sin.  Learning about the holiness of God as opposed to the total depravity of man is mind blowing.  It is a hopeless situation. Psalm 24 tells us that only the man who has clean hands and a pure heart can stand before the King of Glory.  No human has ever attained that level of perfection, except Jesus.  Man can never dream of an eternity in God's perfect Heaven. All we can do is cry out to God as the Psalmist does in Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions."   BUT, Jesus!  Jesus is the answer. Jesus made the way. Jesus is the only one who can fit the description in Psalm 24.  The wonder of it is in I John 4:10:  "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."      Propitiatio...

Does God know our needs?  He absolutely does!        For your Father   knows the things you have need of before you ask Him .   Matthew 6:8b, NKJV       In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus guides us to petition our Father for the most basic of human needs:  food.   " Give us this day our daily bread ."   Matthew 6:11.    He knows what we need, but still wants to hear us ask.  By asking we acknowledge that our very existence is dependent on the provision of our Father.  Even if our pantry is overflowing, we know that it is full only because the Lord has provided that blessing.  Even in a state of abundance, the Bible teaches that our attitudes should remain in a state of need. We are instructed to ask for just enough for this day.  Relying on our Father for our basic needs is important for us to recognize that our existence is in His hands.  This leads our hearts to resp...

  Unity is always a beautiful thing, isn't it?  The synchronized swimmers in the Olympics are a perfect example of multiple entities moving and working together to create something glorious.  Team diving is another example. In the winter Olympics, the figure skating couples move in harmony and unity.  Unity of spirit is actually very hard to achieve.  Impossible, actually, apart from the Lord. Why? Because unity is the opposite of loving self, which is what our sinful, human natures strive for.   Jesus says that the reason He shared His glory with His disciples, was "that they may be one, as we are one"  John 17:22.  Apparently this unity is very important to the Father!  If we look at God's glory as the catalyst or essential element to unity, which is a major part of the reason Jesus came to earth, we have to look into His glory more closely. The story of Moses in the Old Testament talks about God's glory.  Do you remember the stor...

     It's been mentioned before, but the sad reality is that 66% percent of American young people who were regular church attendees leave the church between the ages of 18 and 22.  66%!!! That number brings me to tears! As a mother that can seem like I am facing a hopeless task as I seek to raise my children to have a relationship with Jesus that is vibrant and living.  Is it a foregone conclusion that our children will most likely leave the faith? How can parents and churches shift the current trend and produce young people who are bearing light in this dark world?  The good news is that we can raise godly children in a sinful world with confidence. God's Word is the manual and His promises never fail.  We will look at some practical ways that families and churches can lead our children to a strong, personal faith in Jesus.      Some of us don't have children currently.  Perhaps you are single, dating, just married, barren, or a gr...

Image source: simplyconvivial.com         The summer months are typically a break from the regular school schedule for my kiddos.  As a homeschooling mom with seven grades to prepare for, my summer is pretty full of lesson planning for the fall.  I have learned the hard way that the more I prepare ahead of time, the smoother the schoolyear goes for all of us.       Charlotte Mason was a Christian educator from England in the late 1800s who provided guidance and educational resources for parents and teachers.  Her books and methods have gained renewed following among homeschoolers and other educators in recent years, although they have been used for decades.  I often use one of her quotes as a motto to encourage my children to always do their best.  Sometimes I hang it on the wall where it is easily seen each day.  Sometimes I print it for the front of their notebooks.  It reminds them of who they are and whe...

    We frequently talk about Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Rightly so. He is the perfect Shepherd -- Our Guide, Protector, and Provider of every need.   But, Jesus is also portrayed in Scripture as the Lamb of God. Before Jesus ever went to the cross, He was identified. John the Baptist announces Him in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”     That was not just a poetic title. That was a prophetic declaration. John was not simply calling Jesus gentle or innocent. He was identifying Him as the Lamb. Not just any lamb. Not merely a symbol of meekness, although He perfectly exemplified these qualities. But The Lamb, the One to whom Passover had always pointed.   As John said those words, he was pointing both forward and backward. Forward to the cross. Backward to Exodus, to blood on doorposts, to judgment passing over, and to deliverance through sacrifice.      In Exodus 12, God gives Israel i...

    Leviticus 23, verses 1–3 gives us what feels like a preamble to its later content. Before God speaks of annual feasts, He begins with the weekly Sabbath. That is important. Before the celebrations, the pilgrimages, or the sacred seasons, He begins with rest.The Sabbath comes first.  That tells us something profound: Rest is not an afterthought in the life of God’s people. It is foundational. God did not give Sabbath as punishment. He gave it as a gift.    It was never meant to be a burden. It was meant to be merciful blessing. A day to step away from ordinary work and striving.A day to be restored.A day to remember that God is God, and we are not.    The Sabbath invites us to stop looking at our work and refocus on His. It reminds us that the world continues spinning without our constant effort.That is humbling,  and it is freeing.    For many of us this is difficult. Because stopping is difficult. There is always on...